Old growth forest, also called primary forest, ancient forest, virgin forest, primeval forest, frontier forest or (in the UK) Ancient Woodland, is an area of forest that has attained great age and so exhibits unique biological features. Old growth forests typically contain large live trees, large dead trees (sometimes called "snags"), and large logs. Old growth forests usually have multiple vertical layers of vegetation representing a variety of tree species and age classes. Ancient Woodland is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer specifically to woodland dating back to at least 1600 in England and Wales, (or 1750 in Scotland). ... This article is about a community of trees. ... For the song by Girls Aloud see Biology (song) Biology studies the variety of life (clockwise from top-left) E. coli, tree fern, gazelle, Goliath beetle Biology (from Greek: βίος, bio, life; and λόγος, logos, speech lit. ... The coniferous Coast Redwood, the tallest tree species on earth. ... A Coast Douglas-fir snag provides nest cavities for birds In forest ecology, a snag refers to a standing, partly or completely dead tree, often missing a top or most of the smaller branches. ... Look up log in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants, and is, by far, the most abundant biotic element of the biosphere. ... For other uses, see Species (disambiguation). ...

Redwoods in old growth forest in Muir Woods National Monument, Marin County, California.

Forest regenerated after severe disruptions, such as clear-cut or fire is often called second-growth or regeneration until a long enough time passes that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident. Depending on the forest, this may take anywhere from a century to several millennia. Hardwood forests of the eastern United States can develop old-growth characteristics in one or two generations of trees, or 150-500 years. Muir woods Redwoods, Northern California Picture taken in April, 2003. ... Muir woods Redwoods, Northern California Picture taken in April, 2003. ... Muir Woods National Monument is a unit of the National Park Service in Marin County, California, 12 miles (19 km) north of San Francisco. ... Marin County is a county located in Californias San Francisco Bay Area, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Deforestation, in general is the sustained removal of trees. ... Fire in San Bernardino, California Mountains (image taken from the International Space Station) A wildfire, also known as a forest fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, or bushfire (in Australasia), is an uncontrolled fire in wildland often caused by lightning; other common causes are human carelessness and arson. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Secondary forest. ... Beech is a typical temperate zone hardwood For the record label, see Hardwood Records. ...

Old growth forests may be home to rare species which depend on this now-rare habitat, making them ecologically significant. Biodiversity may be higher or lower in old growth forests than in second-growth forests depending on specific circumstances. Logging in old growth forests is a contentious issue in many parts of the world. For the journal, see Ecology (journal). ... Rainforests are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on earth Biodiversity is the variation of taxonomic life forms within a given ecosystem, biome or for the entire Earth. ...

Defining "old growth"

Concepts of old growth vary widely and are not always easily applied or reconcilable with one another.

"Ancient Woodland" is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer specifically to woodland dating back to 1600 or before (in England and Wales), or 1750 (in Scotland). Before this, planting of new woodland was uncommon, so a wood present at these dates was likely to have developed naturally. By this definition Ancient Woodland may have had considerable artificial interference, the important characteristic being continuity of woodland on the land. Ancient Woodland is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer specifically to woodland dating back to at least 1600 in England and Wales, (or 1750 in Scotland). ... Limber Pine woodland, Toiyabe Range, central Nevada Biologically, a woodland is a treed area differentiated from a forest. ... 1600 was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the country. ... Events March 2 - Small earthquake in London, England April 4 - Small earthquake in Warrington, England August 23 - Small earthquake in Spalding, England September 30 - Small earthquake in Northampton, England November 16 – Westminster Bridge officially opened Jonas Hanway is the first Englishman to use an umbrella James Gray reveals her sex... This article is about the country. ...

By contrast, in the US, old growth is often used to imply a forest has experienced little direct disruption during contemporary historical epochs and looks about as it would had Europeans not come to America. This criterion is difficult to apply, since it is often impossible to determine the history of human management (Euro-American or Native American). And, since landscapes are naturally dynamic, there can be no certainty what forests would look like now had pre-Columbian regimes been uninterrupted. While it is generally agreed that old forests defined as "old growth" have not been subject to logging, the role of natural disturbances in defining old growth is more ambiguous. Some definitions, for example, exclude recently burned forests, even where fire has been part of the natural dynamics for millennia; in other cases, such natural disturbance is incorporated in the old growth concept. However, it is often difficult to distinguish the ecological effects of natural disruption from human-caused disruption. Finally, even forests that have never experienced direct manipulation by Euro-Americans have been subjected to indirect effects in the form of invasive species, climate change, and regional modifications of ecological disturbance regimes (e.g., fire suppression). Logging is the process in which trees are cut down usually as part of a timber harvest which is good for the environment. ... Fire in San Bernardino, California Mountains (image taken from the International Space Station) A wildfire, also known as a forest fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, or bushfire (in Australasia), is an uncontrolled fire in wildland often caused by lightning; other common causes are human carelessness and arson. ... Lantana invasion of abandoned citrus plantation; Moshav Sdey Hemed, Israel The term invasive species refers to a subset of introduced species or non-indigenous species that are rapidly expanding outside of their native range. ... In ecology, a disturbance is a temporary change in average environmental conditions that causes a pronounced change in ecosystem structure that lasts longer than the change in the environment. ...

Characteristics

Down wood decaying.

Many botanists specifically define old growth in terms of meeting several criteria, under which system forests with sufficient age and minimal disturbance are considered old growth. Typical characteristics of old-growth forest include presence of older trees, minimal signs of human disturbance, mixed-age stands, presence of canopy openings due to tree falls, pit-and-mound topography, down wood in various stages of decay, standing snags (dead trees), multi-layered canopies, intact soils, a healthy fungal ecosystem, and presence of indicator species. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The canopy is the habitat found at the uppermost level of a forest, especially rainforest. ... For discussion of land surfaces themselves, see Terrain. ... Look up decay in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... SOiL was originally a five piece rock band from Chicago, Illinois, United States, founded by Shaun Glass, Tim King, Tom Schofield, and Adam Zadel. ... For the fictional character, see Fungus the Bogeyman. ... Indicator species are unique environmental indicators as they offer a signal of the biological condition in a watershed or ecosystem, and are a warning system that pollution has entered the food web. ...

Mixed age

The mixed age of the forest is an important criterion in ensuring that the forest is a relatively stable ecosystem in the long term. A climax stand that is uniformly-aged is a less stable ecosystem, because it becomes senescent and degrades within a relatively short time to result in a new cycle of forest succession. The term climax community, also described as a climatic climax community, is a largely obsolete ecological term for a biological community of plants and animals which, through the process of ecological succession - the development of vegetation in an area over time - has reached a steady state. ... Secondary succession: trees are colonizing uncultivated fields and meadows. ...

Canopy openings

Openings in the forest canopy are essential in creating and maintaining mixed-age stands. Also, some herbaceous plants only become established in canopy openings but persist in a darker understory. Openings created by natural disturbance events such as wind, ice and mixed-severity fire retain much structural enrichment from dead trees, unlike openings created by logging. Canopy of a forest The canopy is the uppermost level of a forest, formed by the tree crowns. ... For other uses, see Herb (disambiguation). ...

Topography

The characteristic topography of old growth forest consists of pits and mounds. Mounds are caused by decaying fallen trees, and pits by the roots pulled out of the ground when trees fall due to natural causes. Pits expose humus-poor, mineral-rich soil and often collect moisture and fallen leaves soon form a thick organic layer and so able to nurture certain types of organisms, while mounds provide a place free of leaf inundation and saturation, where other types of organisms thrive. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Mineral (disambiguation). ... Organic material or organic matter is informally used to denote a material that originated as a living organism; most such materials contain carbon and are capable of decay. ...

Standing snags

Standing snags provide food sources and habitat for many types of organisms. In particular, several species of woodpecker must have standing snags available for feeding. The spotted owl is well-known for needing standing snags for nesting habitat. Genera Melanerpes Sphyrapicus Xiphidiopicus Dendropicos Dendrocopos Picoides Veniliornis Campethera Geocolaptes Dinopium Meiglyptes Hemicircus Micropternus Picus Mulleripicus Dryocopus Celeus Piculus Colaptes Campephilus Chrysocolaptes Reinwardtipicus Blythipicus Gecinulus Sapheopipo For other uses, see Woodpecker (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Xantus de Vesey, 1860 The Spotted Owl, Strix occidentalis, is a species of owl. ...

Decaying ground layer

Down wood contributes carbon-rich organic matter directly to the soil, thus providing a substrate for mosses, fungi and for seedlings, and in creating microhabitats by creating relief on the forest floor. In some ecosystems, such as the temperate rain forest of the Pacific coast, down wood is significant for providing a seedling substrate, and is called nurse logs. For other uses, see Carbon (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... SOiL was originally a five piece rock band from Chicago, Illinois, United States, founded by Shaun Glass, Tim King, Tom Schofield, and Adam Zadel. ... For other uses, see Moss (disambiguation). ... Sunflower seedlings, just three days after germination In a botanical sense, germination is the process of emergence of growth from a resting stage. ... A rainforest is a forested biome with high annual rainfall. ... The Pacific Coast is any coast fronting the Pacific Ocean. ...

Soil

Intact soils harbor many life-forms that rely on them and usually have very well-defined soil profiles. Different organisms need certain well-defined soil profiles, while many trees need well-structured soils free of disturbance. Some herbaceous plants in northern hardwood forests need thick duff layers (which are part of the soil profile). A soil profile is a cross section through the soil which reveals its horizons (layers). ...

Fungal ecosystems are essential for efficient in-situ recycling of nutrients back into the entire ecosystem. For the fictional character, see Fungus the Bogeyman. ... In situ is a Latin phrase meaning in the place. ...

Importance

Old growth forests often contain rich communities of plants and animals that settle there thanks to the long period of pseudo-stability. These varied and sometimes species may depend on the unique environmental conditions created by these forests. For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ...

Old growth forest serves as a reservoir for species which cannot thrive or easily regenerate in younger forest, and so can be used as a baseline for research.

Old growth forests also store large amounts of carbon above and below the ground. They collectively represent a significant pool of climate gases such as greenhouse gases. Continued liquidation of these forests may increase the risk of global climate change.^[1] For other uses, see Carbon (disambiguation). ... Top: Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels as measured in the atmosphere and ice cores. ... Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 450,000 years For current global climate change, see Global warming. ...

Logging

The large trees in old growth forests are economically valuable, so these forests have been subjected to aggressive logging around the world. This has led to much controversy between logging companies and environmental groups. A great example of this was the controversy around Spotted Owls in the 1980s and 1990s. Logging is the process in which trees are cut down usually as part of a timber harvest which is good for the environment. ... Binomial name Xantus de Vesey, 1860 The Spotted Owl, Strix occidentalis, is a species of owl. ...

In Australia, the regional forest agreement (RFA) attempted to prevent the clearfelling of defined "Old Growth Forests". This led to struggles over what constitutes "Old Growth". For example in Western Australia, the timber industry tried to limit the area of Old Growth in the karri forests of the Southern Forests Region; this led to the creation of the Western Australian Forests Alliance, the splitting of the Liberal Government of Western Australia and the election of the Gallop Labor Government. Old Growth Forests in this region have now been placed inside National Parks. Timber in storage for later processing at a sawmill Timber is a term used to describe wood, either standing or that has been processed for use—from the time trees are felled, to its end product as a material suitable for industrial use—as structural material for construction or wood... Binomial name Eucalyptus diversicolor F. Muell. ... West Australian Forest Alliance Is an organisation made up of a number of West Australian environmental activist groups - concerned with the destruction of Old Growth Forests in the South West region. ... Professor Geoffrey Ian Gallop (born 27 September 1951), Australian academic and former politician, was the Premier of Western Australia from 2001 to 2006. ... This article is about national parks. ...

Locations of remaining intact forests

In 2006 Greenpeace identified that the world's remaining intact old growth forest area was distributed among the continents as follows:^[2]
Greenpeace protest against Esso / Exxon Mobil. ...

• 35% in Latin America. The Amazon rainforest is mainly located in Brazil, which clears a larger area of forest annually than any other country in the world.^[3]
• 28% in North America. North America harvests 10,000 square kilometres of ancient forests every year. Many of the fragmented forests of southern Canada and the US lack adequate animal travel corridors and functioning ecosystems for large mammals.^[3]
• 19% in Northern Asia. Northern Asia is home to the second largest boreal forest in the world. The Siberian tiger once roamed across huge areas of Northern Asia but today can only be found in a small area of intact forest near the Sea of Japan. Only about 400 remain in the wild and 800 in zoos.^[3]
• 8% in Africa. Africa has lost most of its intact forest landscapes in the last 30 years. The timber industry is responsible for destroying huge areas of intact forest landscapes and continues to be the single largest threat to these areas.
• 7% in South Asia Pacific. The Paradise Forests of Asia Pacific are being destroyed faster than any other forest on Earth. Much of the large intact forest landscapes have already been cut down, 72% in Indonesia and 60% in Papua New Guinea.^[3]
• Less than 3% in Europe. In Europe, more than 150 square kilometres of intact forest landscapes are cleared every year and the last areas of the region’s intact forest landscapes in European Russia are shrinking rapidly.^[3]

Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... Map of the Amazon rainforest ecoregions as delineated by the WWF. Yellow line encloses the Amazon rainforest. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... United States may refer to: Places: United States of America SS United States, the fastest ocean liner ever built. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... Trinomial name Panthera tigris altaica Temminck, 1884 Distribution of the Siberian Tiger (in red) The Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is a rare subspecies of tiger (). Also known as the Amur Tiger, it is considered to be the largest of the 6 tiger subspecies. ... The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, bordered by Japan, Korea and Russia. ... Map showing general definition of Asia-Pacific The term Asia-Pacific generally applies to littoral East Asia, Southeast Asia and Australasia near the Pacific Ocean, plus the states in the ocean itself (Oceania). ...

References

1. ^ http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg1/235.htm IPCC Climate Change 2001: Working Group I: The Scientific Basis
2. ^ http://www.intactforests.org/ IntactForests.org
3. ^ ^{a b c d e} http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/forests/our-disappearing-forests/intact-forest-landscapes

See also

• Ancient Woodland
• List of old growth forests

Ancient Woodland is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer specifically to woodland dating back to at least 1600 in England and Wales, (or 1750 in Scotland). ... . ...

External links

• Forest Conservation Portal - committed to ending ancient forest logging
• Primal Nature: Preservation and restoration of old-growth forests in the eastern United States
• Old growth locations in the eastern U.S.
• Old growth definitions from the Pacific northwest
• Wildlife and Vegetation of Unmanaged Douglas-Fir Forests
• Old-growth forests in Slovenia
• Profiles of special species that live in Old growth forests
• Collection of Google map links of clear cuts in or around old growth
• "Of Spotted Owls, Old Growth, and New Policies: A History" (PDF)
• Gifford Pinchot Task Force
• Old-Growth Again Restoration Forestry
• NW Old Growth Campaign
• Umpqua Watersheds, Inc. information on western Oregon old-growth issues
• Oregon Natural Resources Council information on Pacific Northwest old-growth issues
• Forest Service
• Experimental forestry designed to convert tree plantations to old-growth
• Thinning To Enhance Biodiversity